


A Winter in New Hampshire

by MBlair



Series: The Race to the White House: A Reylo Political AU Series [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Political, F/M, Mentions of Abortion, Mentions of Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-10
Updated: 2020-03-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:46:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22651978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MBlair/pseuds/MBlair
Summary: After the disaster of Iowa, the Organa 2020 campaign makes it's way to New Hampshire! At a local house party, we finally hear from the woman herself, future president Leia Organa.
Relationships: Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Series: The Race to the White House: A Reylo Political AU Series [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1625254
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello again readers! Welcome to part two of what will likely be a year-long project that will end with a new President, hopefully in this universe and our own. 
> 
> This week has our story turning to New Hampshire, the first primary of the 2020 election season. It is based on a real thing that happens with candidates during election season called a "house party" where potential voters are able to interact with candidates on a more personal, social level. I can't say that this is an exact replica of one of these evenings, but I hope to come close since it seems like a really nice idea. 
> 
> Also, there are mentions of pregnancy and abortion in this fic, as mentioned in the tags. Nothing too detailed, but if it makes you uncomfortable, you can either skip from the paragraph beginning with the words "After a moment of silence" and the paragraphs that ends with "Your body. Your choice." If you choose to read and comment negatively anyway, they will not be approved. You've been warned. 
> 
> Enjoy!

It wasn’t the first time Ben had been to one of these events, being welcomed into a voter’s home with open arms, brought out of the cold of a New Hampshire winter and given a comfortable place to sit and watch his mother speak. 

“Good evening, Mrs. Camden. Thank you so much for having up again,” he said to their host, giving her a tight hug. He pulled back to look at her, the tiny retired school teacher that had hosted them twice before already. “You look really good. How are you?” 

Rey followed in soon behind, looking around at the home that would soon be filled with potential voters, all interesting in hearing what each candidate has to say before making their decision. Chairs were scattered in every available space leaving only a little room to walk once they were occupied, every bit of space precious. Walking over to the table that would be soon full of food brought from friends and neighbors, she set down the box of cupcakes they had managed to bring from a local bakery, ones that Rey had fallen in love with the very first time they made the trip to Manchester. 

“I’m doing fine, dear. You both look tired though,” their host replied, looking between Rey and Ben. “You’ve really been through the wringer already this week, haven’t you?” 

Both Ben and Rey looked to each other and smiled before Ben shook his head. “It’s been a complicated week, but nothing unexpected. We’re going to do very well here and I don’t think we’ll ever be able to thank you enough for letting us speak here so many times. I know Mom will personally thank you later, but I wanted to say it for all of us first.” 

“You know I would welcome you anytime, especially if it helps get Leia into the White House,” she replied, patting Ben on the cheek gently. “Now, you two have a seat before the others and the reporters come in and take all the comfortable chairs. I’m going to go and make sure all the drinks are ready.” 

Both Ben and Rey quickly put their coats on chairs on the outside of the room, keeping those closest for people who wanted to ask questions and engage, before following into the kitchen to help out any way they could. 

* * *

Soon enough, the house was full of potential voters and reporters from across the country, their cameras and tape recorders ready to record every question and reply. Though it was difficult to navigate, many still milled around with small plates and drinks talking about their everyday lives. Once the vote was over, they would return to their normal lives, watching closely to see if their votes mattered much at all. 

“What do you think they’re talking about,” Rey asked quietly as she turned to Ben, looking to where Leia was talking to a reporter, their heads together as she spoke into his recorder. 

Ben shook his head, having some idea what they could be discussing but not completely sure of it. “It could be anything, but possibly Iowa. That’s all everyone wants to be asking about. It could be the electability issue. It could be healthcare. Who knows what anyone is going to ask anymore.” 

Soon after finishing her statement, Leia stood and made her way to the center of the room where their host had settled herself, trying to get the attention of the room. “Can I get everyone’s attention please,” she asked, commanding exactly that from everyone with a voice that spoke of decades in the classroom asking the same from students. “Thank you. Now that we’ve all had a bit of refreshment, we should finally get to the reason we’re all here tonight. Now, as we all know, the New Hampshire primary is this next Tuesday evening. I’m sure the majority of you have had the chance to speak to several of the candidates over the past months and again this past week. Tonight we have the special opportunity to again speak to one of the candidates wishing to represent our nation as President. A senator from our neighbor to the south, she has served the state of Massachusetts for the last twenty years, all while raising a young family and fighting for those who don’t have a voice to fight for themselves. I would speak further about her credentials, but I believe we should hear it from her. Friends and neighbors, Senator Leia Organa.” 

Ben and Rey both stood with the rest of the room in applause as Leia took the center of the room, waving and shaking a few hands before asking everyone to sit. “Thank you so much, Carol, for that introduction and allowing us to gather this evening in your home. Thank you all for coming tonight as well.” 

Once everyone was seated again, Leia looked around the room with a smile on her face, happy to see all the familiar faces along with many new ones. “So, it’s finally here. Just a few more days until the primary and the election season truly gets underway. I still remember the first time I came here, just over a year ago, seeing so many of you for the first time and just getting to share and answer your questions. I’ll spare you all my usual speech because most if not all of what I usually say will be answered tonight by your questions, but I just wanted to thank you all again for your continued hospitality and your engagement in this most important process of our democracy. Now, who has the first question?” 

After a moment of silence, several people looking at each other and the friends and neighbors surrounding them before a young woman stood and moved closer to speak. “Good evening, Senator,” she said, trying not to let her voice shake from nerves. “This is the first election I’m allowed to vote in,” she said, applause breaking out in the entire room. She blushed and continued as the room quieted again. “I’m concerned about a lot of things right now, but there’s one thing I wanted to ask you specifically about. One I’m sure as a woman you can really speak to more than any of the male candidates. How are you going to be able to protect a woman’s right to make her own medical decisions? There are so many people out there that think we shouldn’t be able to, that we should be forced to carry a child that we don’t want because it offends _their_ religious beliefs. What about mine? What about what _I_ want? I just… I don’t know how to support someone who doesn’t think I’m smart enough to make my own decisions.” 

Leia took a seat on the stool and turned directly to her. “What’s your name?” 

The girl paused, not at all expecting being focused on entirely or the question. “Cassidy, ma’am.” 

“Well, Cassidy, I am going to answer your question because I think it is a very important one for all of us to consider, not just for women. Before that though, I’m going to share a story with all of you. I’m sure all of you by now know that I am a mother. My son, Ben, is here tonight,” she said, smiling toward her son before bringing the attention back to the room. “I was very young when I had him, only twenty years old and not married yet to his father. There are many people, friends, and future associates that encouraged me to just...move on. To not have the baby in order to save my political career,” she said, looking to Ben in apology again, knowing he rarely liked to hear this story. To know that people he would end up growing up around tried to prevent his existence entirely. “I obviously didn’t listen to them and had my son and my life was all the fuller for it, but I recognized from then on that there are so many women who don’t have the choice. Whose options are limited or have the trauma of something horrible happening to them on their minds or in their hearts.”

“Ma’am, are you saying that you _don’t_ support a woman’s right to choose,” Cassidy asked, not wanting to believe that this was the point Leia was trying to make. 

“No, dear. What I’m trying to say is that a woman should have every right to make whatever decisions she needs to for herself, her body, and her life. No amount of religion or outside beliefs in our government should take away from that. Your body, your choice.” 

“Thank you, ma’am,” Cassidy said before moving to sit back down beside her mother. The woman soon stood when no one else immediately did, many of the guests still quietly discussing the last answer among themselves. 

“Senator, I’m sure you’ve been asked this so many times, but I just want to know… How can you bring all of us together? When the nation seems more divided than ever?”

“I don’t want to know how you’ll defeat the President, we’ve heard you talk about that enough for the moment,” she said, drawing a chuckle from most of the room and a smile from Leia. “I just want to know how you’ll heal what’s been so terribly broken.”

“I’m going to be honest with you, honest with all of you, this is something I’ve been giving a lot of thought to these past few months,” she said, seeming to struggle for a moment to find the right words to describe what she felt and thought. “Our nation is broken. Its government and very way of life are being torn apart by a president and a party that is putting their self-interest above the interests of its citizens. Not just it’s voters, all of us. I can’t promise to put it all back together on my own, or even in eight years, but it’s my duty as an American and as an elected official to try. To work with people who still care about our processes and the very foundations of our nation to bring about change and help us remember the very values that made us so great.”

Leia took a sip of water from the small table beside her, taking a moment before turning back to the room. “I do have one more thing to say about this before taking another question and I’m sure you’re all very aware of this given the amount of news coming out, but Iowa was a bit of a disaster,” she said, drawing quiet laughter from most of the room. “We did well there though and I fully support the process of coming up with the accurate results we’ll need before the convention this summer. Once the decision is made for whoever the nominee will be, whether it’s me or one of my fellow candidates, I will support them fully. As I said, healing our nation and bringing normalcy and decency back is the most important thing for the next four years.” 

A much larger spatter of applause came from this answer, the room far more attentive now than they had been earlier in the evening. It was clear that they seemed to appreciate her answers far more on subjects that were less controversial, which brought a sense of relief to Ben and Rey. Less controversy made for an easier time answering questions with the press after the event and beyond. 

Leia took a few moments in the meantime to walk away before returning to her seat, smiling toward a little boy with his hand raised near the back of the room. “Do you have a question for me, young man,” she asked, beckoning him closer. “What’s your name?”

The little boy approached with his mother right behind him, holding onto his hand that was squeezing hers tight. He didn’t look much older than ten, It brought back memories of Ben at that age, so curious yet nervous around new people. Once he was standing in front of her completely though, the bravery came back full force, his back straightened and eyes lifted up to look directly at Leia. “My name is Trevor. May I ask you my question, please?” 

Instead of continuing to stand, Leia moved to sit on the floor in front of Trevor, looking up at him like he was the most important person in the room. Though she was no longer a young woman, far from it, it was still easy enough to appear youthful in front of a very perceptive audience. One could not run for President otherwise. “You can ask me anything you want. I promise I’ll answer the best I can.” 

Trevor looked down at the piece of paper that had the question he was supposed to ask written down on before looking back at his mother who encouraged him to ask. “My mommy wanted me to ask you about taxes, but I don’t want to do that,” he said, making a face at the word _taxes_. “How are you going to keep the dinosaurs from going extinct again?” 

“Do you know what, Trevor, that’s a very good question. One of the most important ones that anyone has asked me since I got here,” Leia said, beckoning him to come closer if he wanted. “It’s alright, I don’t bite. No matter what my fellow candidates might say,” she said, getting a laugh from the room. Trevor eventually came closer after a nod from his mother, taking a place on Leia’s lap. 

“Now, I’m going to explain this to you the best I can, okay? If you have a question or don’t understand something, you can ask. You won’t get in trouble,” she said, giving Trevor all of her attention so he understood just how seriously she took him. “I’m sure you’ve heard a lot from grownups about what climate change is and why it’s happening, from your parents and teachers and maybe even on the news. It’s something that is really important to be worried about.”

“I can promise you Trevor and everyone else as well that I will do my best to make sure that the government will do everything it can to save all the animals, not just the ones that live here. By making sure that the air and water are clean, that big companies don’t put so many bad chemicals in the sky because it costs less to use them. That they pay when they do make too much bad stuff,” she said, smiling when he nodded. “Just keep being curious, okay? Keep asking questions and try your best to take care of our world and I’ll make sure the grownups do too.”

* * *

“She did really well tonight,” Rey said as the guests began to file out, many of them also staying to help clean and put away chairs, Ben and Rey included. She picked up the last of the chairs and put them against the wall in the corner, Ben following with a few more. 

“Yeah, she really did… Just when I thought she lost them, she pulled it back and stole the show again. Just like always.” 

Rey turned around to Ben, seeing him shrug and continue to go pick up. He seemed quieter than usual, almost as if he was upset about something. She stopped him before he could turn away to pick up more chairs, putting a hand on his arm. “Hey… What’s going on? Are you okay?” 

Ben looked around the room, seeing far too many people around to hear what would end up being personal business. He took her hand and led her outside, claiming to anyone who asked that they needed a bit of fresh air. As soon as the door closed, Ben moved to sit on the front porch step, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. He lit one before offering the pack to Rey. 

“I didn’t know you smoked,” she said, waving a hand in decline to the offer, sitting down on the cold step beside him. She watched as he took a puff and let the smoke leave his mouth slowly, letting his head tilt toward the column directly beside him. 

“Only when I’m stressed, which is always now,” he replied, taking another drag of the cigarette before tossing it on the path and crushing it with the toe of his shoe. “Mom hates it, but it’s...necessary sometimes. Especially nights like tonight.” 

“What’s going on? You said she did well and she did, which means it’s something else,” she insisted softly, reaching over and taking his hand, squeezing it gently. “You can tell me anything. I won’t say a word.”

“I guess I just… I hate when she tells that story,” he said, closing his eyes and wishing he hadn’t crushed the rest of his cigarette. “I know why she does it. It’s a way to connect with voters, especially with young women who are at risk of being in the same situation, but it’s just hard to listen to. To know that people who ended up being in my life tried to tell my mother not to let it happen at all. To not let me _exist_ at all.” 

Rey sighed as she looked over at Ben, wishing she knew what to say, how to help. It took her a few long moments, looking out onto the quiet street, cars serenely driving by. “Have you ever told her that you don’t like hearing about it? I’m sure if you did, she wouldn’t talk about it anymore.” 

“No, it’s important. It’s an important issue and I don’t want to do anything that would keep from identifying with potential supporters,” he replied, shaking his head. “It doesn’t matter really. It’s fine.” He stood after that, shaking out the back of his coat and reaching out a hand to help her stand. “Come on, let’s get back inside.” 

Rey shook her head, standing up and taking Ben’s arm again. “Hey, no… You need to tell her, Ben. The last thing she wants is for you to be uncomfortable, especially since it’s going to come up again. It’s not going to go away.” 

Ben looked back at Rey, sizing her up for a moment. “You’re not going to let this go, are you?”

Rey shook her head, trying not to falter under his stare. “No, I’m not. Tell her or I will.” 

“Tell me what?” 

Ben and Rey both turned and looked on when Leia stood at the door, raising an eyebrow at both of them. Ben looked to Rey and shook his head, watching as she walked back inside. “Nothing, Senator. We’re fine. I’m going to go back inside and help clean up.” 

“Really, Mom. It’s nothing. You did great tonight,” Ben replied as well, moving to go back inside but stopping when he felt his mother’s firm touch on his arm. He turned to look at her and saw the concern in her eyes, something he hated to see. It meant she wasn’t focused on the task at hand, instead, it was on him. 

Nodding, Ben sighed and moved to sit down on the porch step beside his mother, a moment of peace before the chaos continued. Noises from inside the house continued as well as cars on the street, life went on as it always did in cold, wintry New Hampshire. 


	2. Primary Day -1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the disaster of Iowa, the Organa campaign looks to New Hampshire with hope for a comeback. Can the decisions they make today bring a good day tomorrow?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, peeps, this is going to be an interesting few chapters. For the day before and the day of the New Hampshire primary, I am going to be using a different format that includes social media and news media coverage to mostly tell the story, though there is a bit of Reylo in this. I promise we'll be getting more of the slow burn goodness soon! 
> 
> ALSO, all names of reporters (at least the real ones) are the property of the people I include and are borrowed. I lay no claim to them whatsoever. 
> 
> Enjoy and please comment to let me know what you think!

**February 10, 2020 -- Primary Day -1**

**9:35 AM EST**

Ben stepped out of his hotel room, the laptop bag he had come back to retrieve over his shoulder when his phone buzzed in his pocket. He took it out and immediately saw the text from Rey, unable to stop his heart from racing at the thought of her. Shaking his head to shoo the thought from his mind, he read it. 

_ Hey, are you on your way back down? Leia’s looking for you.  _

Yeah, I’m coming back now. Tell her I had to get my laptop so I could get the numbers  she wanted. 

_ We’ve got the updated ones and the new CNN poll. You’re going to want to see  _ _ this, Ben.  _

_ Link: New Hampshire Internals 2020_2_10 _

  
  


Ben stopped in his tracks just in front of the elevator, lowering his hand that was about to press the button taking him back downstairs. He read over the numbers slowly, rereading them to make sure his eyes weren’t deceiving him. He took one more moment to read them a third time, finally pressing the button to call the elevator. No more waiting. It was time to get to work. 

I’m on my way down. Start leaking this to the press if they don’t have it already. 

Finally, we’re getting our shot back. 

  
  


**The Associated Press** @AP

In late polling, Organa campaign gains on opponents -- taking 65% of previously undecided voters [apne.ws/325a798z](apne.ws/325a798z)

**CNN** **Politics** @CNNPolitics

Has the Organa campaign come back from her middle finish in Iowa? | Analysis by CNN’s Chris Cillizza [cnn.it/87Kbc45](cnn.it/87Kbc45)

  
  


* * *

“Senator, may I ask for your thoughts heading into tomorrow night’s primary? How do you believe you’ll do?” 

Leia took a sip of her coffee before putting it aside, taking Ben’s hand and squeezing it in a quiet apology before turning to the reporter standing directly beside her. Ben squeezed her hand quickly in reply, accepting her silent apology and replying back with a reassurance of his own. “I believe we’ll do very well. Not only because Massachusetts and New Hampshire have always been good neighbors, but also because of our policies, our ideas. The electorate is beginning to see that not only are our progressive policies feasible but also that we are capable. We are willing. We are  _ ready _ to take on President Trump this November.” 

“So, are you expecting to win,” the reporter asked, putting her tape recorder a little closer.

“I think we’ll let the voters of New Hampshire decide that.”

* * *

**Primary Day -1**

**12:30 PM EST**

  
  


“I can’t tell you how happy I am to be with all of you today,” Leia said as she sat among a group of middle school students. The decision to visit a school was last minute, plenty of calls made and assurances that they wouldn’t keep the children away from their studies for too long. There were nearly fifty students with her now in the library, all of them watching attentively with their teachers and school administrators watching behind them. “I know that a lot of people who have come here usually want to talk to your parents, but I think it’s important to hear from you too. You’re just as important as the grownups are.” 

“Senator, can I ask you a question,” one of the teachers near the back asked as their students listened intently. Though they wanted to ask their own questions as well, some coming from parents and some just from what they’ve heard on the news and at home. She looked to the children, seeing their nods and nodding herself. “I wanted to know, with you right here, what you are willing to do to help with public education? 

“I’m going to admit, I didn’t go to public schools growing up. My parents believed in allowing me a good, Jewish education much in the way many parents send their children to other religious schools. From there, only then did I progress to a public university, one that shaped me as a person just as much as the experiences of my life up to that point had,” she replied, very matter of fact. “Though I didn’t have the same education as the majority of children in this country, I believe that they are entitled to the same excellent teachers, curriculum, and buildings as the best private schools in the nation. There is too much in so many of our communities, especially those in states and areas with lower income, that is lacking.” 

“But what do you  _ plan _ to do? How will you fix it, if it is fixable at all?” 

“One of the many things I have been trying to do throughout this campaign, and I would hope that it has been noticed among teachers and administrators, is that education is the key to our future. While it may be difficult and it may not come within the first 100 days of my presidency, I will replace the Secretary of Education with someone who understands the public school system, who is willing to learn more about what works and what doesn’t, who will  _ talk _ to teachers across the country.” 

* * *

**Primary Day -1**

**7:30 PM EST**

_ Organa Shines in Final Moments Before New Hampshire, Surges Toward the Leaders _

By Sebastian Klein, NPR Producer, Washington Desk 

Though the New Hampshire primary is still a day away, Massachusetts Senator Leia Organa’s campaign continues on as it has since she first announced over a year ago. At campaign rallies across the state, as well as smaller events, she has continually shone through as a voice for moderation as well as progress. 

“What our country needs now is not just a candidate that can bring the change that is needed, but that will bring Democrats and Republicans, men and women, young and old voters back together under the idea that America is a nation of heroes, of patriots, and of free men and women,” Organa said to great applause from the crowd. 

Before launching directly into her stump speech, Organa took a step away from the podium and moved into the crowd, a familiar move to her campaign staff as well as her most ardent supporters. 

Anna James drove from Nashua, just across the border from Massachusetts, where Organa can claim home-field advantage. She has been a supporter of the Senator since she was a young city council member in the Boston suburb of Newton, long before being elected to the state legislature and later the U.S. Senate. “Ever since she took her first steps into politics, Leia Organa has been for us. Not for the billionaires, not for the political establishment, but for friends and neighbors. Normal, working people who care more about putting their children through college and caring for ailing parents than the machinations of Washington D.C. She will do as well in the White House as she did in the council chamber and the Capitol building.” 

Adam Machinaou agrees, having come from across the state line to watch Organa speak. “If there is one thing I believe, it’s that Leia Organa is not for the establishment. She’s for the people.” 

Only time will tell if the supporters who have thrown their lot with Organa are correct. Polls open in the New Hampshire primary at six am tomorrow. 


	3. An Update for Readers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a little update/heads up for those who are following this series.

Hey everyone... 

So, I'm sure a lot of you that are following this fic, if there are any left, have heard the news that has come out the past few days. Especially today. 

Elizabeth Warren dropped out of the Presidential race today and I am honestly heartbroken. 

To be fair, a lot of why I have taken so much time between updates is to volunteer on her campaign. I won't go into any of that here though since this is mostly just to let you know that the fic will go on. I'm not abandoning anything. 

This will take time, especially since my inspiration for writing seems to have dried up lately, but after a few more tweaks and some more writing, I do plan to have chapter three of this fic up soon! Also, fics that will show more of our fic's candidates show up to fight! 

So, stay tuned! Stay alert to changes and I'll be back soon. <3 <3 <3


End file.
